Aeroplane construction.



J. RODNEY.

AEROPLANE CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED D130. 4. 1914 1,132,686. I Patented Mar.23,19 15.

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J. RODNEY.

AEROPLANE CONSTRUCTION.

APPLICATION FILED 1120.4, 1914.

1,132,686. v Patented Mar. 23, 1915.

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JAMES RODNEY, OF WASHINGTQN, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

AEROPLANE CONSTRUCTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

- Patented Mar. 23 1915.

Application filed December 4, 1914. Serial No. 875,501.

I strength and rigidity is obtained for the weight of the materials employed, and which admits of the planes being readily warped to balance the machine.

A further object of the invention is to provide an aeroplane in which the main frame may be formed of metal, thereby providing a machine, which is excellently adapted for. use in connection with military operations since there is no danger of the frame being splintered and broken so as to disable the machine when struck by a bullet or flying projectile. k

With these and other objects in View, the invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements of the parts as will more fully appear asthe description proceeds, the novel features thereof being pointed out in the appended claims.

For afull understanding'of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description, and accompanying -drawings, in 'which: F Figure 1 is a front elevation of a conventional form of biplane constructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of one end of the bi-' plane with portions broken away and shown in section to illustrate more clearly the de tails of construction. Fig. 3 is a plan View of a portion of one of the planes with portions broken away to illustrate more clearly the construction. Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view through one of the frame joints, said section being taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3. -Fig. 5 is a similar view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a transverse sectionalview through one of the planes, taken on the line 66 of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view through one of the wooden trusses, said section being taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail view showing the manner of connecting the tension wires to the end cross bars of the planes. Fig. 9 is an enlarged deta l view of one of the entering edges, portions being broken away. Fig. 10 is a similar view of one of the trusses for the planes, and Fig. 11 is a detail view of the controlling lever for warping the planes.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followin description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

For the purpose of illustration the invention is shown as embodied in a conventional form of biplane, although it will be obvious that the method of constructing the planes and frame may be used upon any airship ncluding one or more supporting planes in its organization.

Referring to Fig. 1, the character Adesignates an upper plane and B a lower plane which are supported by a main frame inuprights being formed with downward extensions 1 upon which the conventional skids 2 and wheels 3 may be mounted.

The main supporting frame includes primarily the uprights 1 and the longitudinal frame members 4:, both sets of members being hollow and formed of metal and the longitudinal frame I members 4 being arranged within the interior of the respective planes A and B so as to ofler noresistance to the passage of the machine through the air. In the preferred construction the uprights 1 are formed of square tubes while-the longitudinal frame members 4 are formed of round-tubes. These frame members 4 are formed in sections which are interposed between the tubular uprights 1 and have their ends abutting againstthe flat sides thereof. For the purpose of providing a rigid oint between the uprights 1' and longitudinal frame members ,4, short tubular pins 5 are provided and these tubular pins are passed transversely through the uprights 1 so as to project laterally upon opposite sides thereof. The projecting ends of these tubular pins 5-are received within the ends of the longitudinal frame members 4:, and since the frame members act under compression a very efiective form of joint is obta ned. The diameter of the tubular pin 5 is less than the diameter of the tubular frame members 4 and the projecting ends of the former may have sleeves or bushings 6 fitted thereon so as toproduce a tight joint with the ends of the frame members. These 'cluding a series of uprights 1,, the middle bushings 6 may be secured in position by the conventional pins 7. By using this form of joint the necessity of unduly weakening the uprights 1 by drilling large holes therein to receive the large frame members 1 is avoided.

The supporting planes A and B are identical in their construction. Each of the planes is formed with a series of intermediate cross bars 8 and end cross .bars 8, said cross bars being mounted upon thevarious uprights 1 and the intermediate cross bars being rigidly mounted upon the uprights while the end cross bars have a pivotal mounting and are adapted to be tilted up and down for the purpose of warping the plane. Each of the cross bars in its detail construction is formed of an intermediate metal strip 9 which passes through the upright 1 and has wooden strips 10 applied to opposite sides of the projecting ends there of. As indicated more clearly by Figs. 4c and 5', the portions of the metalstrips 9 of the cross bars within the tubular uprights 1 are formed with openings receiving the tubular joint pins 5, and spacing collars 11 are fitted upon the tubular .pin upon opppsite sides of the metal strips 9 so as to be interposed between the said metal strip and the sides of the tubular upright 1 and prevent the latter from being crushed by the pressure of the ends of the longitudinal frame members 4 against the sides thereof.

Fig. 5 illustrates the joint between the frame members 4 and an intermediate upright '1 in which the metal strip 9 of the cross bar 8 is rig-idlyconnected to the upright, while Fig. 4; illustrates the joint upon an end upright 1 in which the metal strip 9 of the cross bar 8 passes loosely through slots 12 in the upright 1 and is pivoted upon the joint pin 5 so as to have the necessary up and down swinging movement for warping the plane.

The several cross bars 8 and 8 of each plane are connected b a series of spaced and parallel tension wires 14:. These wires 14 pass through the intermediate crossbars 8 and have their extremities adjustably connected to the end cross bars 8 In the present instance, as illustrated more clearly. by Fig. 8, the ends of the wires 14 are shown as passed through the heads of eye bolts 15 and secured by sleeves 16,said eye bolts passing through the cross bars 8 and having nuts 17 applied to the threaded ends thereof. With this construction; it will be obvious that by tightening the nuts 17 .the wires 14: can be readily placed under any desired amount of tension.

' The entering edge 18 and tail 19 are each split longitudinally to provide the respective compiemental sections 18 and 19 which can, be applied to the puter rnost wires 14' from opposite sides themed These main? ends of the various cross bars 8 and 8 and abut loosely against the same so as to act under compression and prevent bending of the cross bars due to excessive'strain or tension in the wires. The rear ends of the members 18 and 19 have the longitudinal edges thereof rabbeted at 18 and 19 respectively to receive the extremities of the upper and lower strips 20 of the wooden truss members. These truss members are arranged parallel to the cross barsand at sui able intervals between the same. Each of the truss members includes a thin vertical web .21 shaped to give the desiredeross section to the plane, and upper and lower strips 20 which fit over the edges of the .web and have the extremities thereof secured to the rabbeted portions of the respective members 18 and 19. The web 21 is provided with suitable openings through which the wires 14. and longitudinal frame members 4.

ass. fabric covering 22 is applied to v he frame thus provided.

The endsof the longitudinal frame members i project-beyond the uprights 1 at each end ofthe frame and are connected by truss wires .to the respective end cross bars 8. Intermediate portions of the truss wires 2% may pass loosely through the projecting ends of the frame members 4, while the ends of the truss wires are suitably connected to the cross bars. TnFigfS the extremities of the wires 2 1 are shown as threaded and passed through the cross bar 8*, the said threaded extremities of the wires having nuts '25 fitted thereon so that by tighteni g or loosening the nuts the tension inthe wires can be increased or decreased as desired. A fabric covering '26 is designed to be applied to the truss wires 24: and projecting ends of the frame members at so as to increase the efi'ective area ofthe supporting frames.

29 which is-pivotally mounted upon the upright 1. At a suitablepoint toward the'middle of" the machine. the various operating cables 28 are connected'to a controlling lever 30 on opposite sides of the pivot .31 thereoai, as indicated by Fig. 11. With this construction it will be apparent that when the operating lever-3.0 is swung in one direction Que of the cables 98 at each end of the machine will be takenin and the other cable let 0. 5 with the result-abs nthe ends of the As indicated by Fig. 2, the usual v will be warped. The plane will be warped in one direction when the operating lever 30 is moved to the right and in the opposite direction when the operating lever is moved to the left. The construction of the plane itself'is admirably adapted to Warping, since the tension wires 14 hold the parts tightly together but at the same time provide joints Which are sufliciently loose so that they do not interfere with the warping operation.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An aeroplane construction including aframe, cross bars mounted thereon, a series of tension wires connecting the cross bars, edge pieces interposed between the cross bars and bearing loosely at their ends against the cross bars so as to offer no resistance to the warping of the plane,'transverse truss members connecting the edge pieces, and a fabric covering applied to the edge pieces and truss members.

2. An aeroplane construction including a frame, cross bars mounted thereon, a series of tension wires connecting the cross bars, edge pieces loosely interposed between the cross bars and divided longitudinally to provide complemental sections adapted to be applied to the outermost tension wires, transverse truss members connecting the edge pieces, and a fabric covering'applfed to the edge pieces and truss members.

3. An aeroplane construction including a frame, cross bars mounted thereon, a series of tension wires connecting the cross bars, means for adjusting the tension in the said wires, edge pieces loosely interposed between the crossbars andmounted upon the outer tension wires so as to be carried thereby, a

. series of transverse truss members connecting the edge .pieces and each including a .vertical web through which the tension wires pass and upper and lower flat strips connected to the edge pieces, and a fabric covering applied to the edge pieces and truss members.

4. An aeroplane construction including a frame formed of tubular uprights and tubular longitudinal frame members interposed between the uprights and abutting against the same, joint pins passing through the uprights and having the projecting ends thereof fitted within the abutting ends of the longitudinal frame members, cross bars passing through the uprights and mounted upon the joint pins, and a supporting plane mounted upon the cross bars.

5. An aeroplane construction including a a. supporting plane mounted upon the cross arms.

a I l a 6. An aeroplane construction mcludmg a frame formed of tubular uprights and tubular longitudinal frame members interposed between the uprights and abutting against the same, tubular joint pins passing through the uprights and having the projecting ends thereof received within the ends of the longitudinal frame members, bushings upon the ends of the tubular joint pins, cross bars passing through the uprights. and provided with openings receiving the joint pins, spac ing collars fitted upon the joint pins between the cross bars and the sides of the uprights to prevent crushing of the latter, and a supporting plane mounted upon the cross bars. a

7. An aeroplane construction including a frame formed of tubular uprights and tubular longitudinal frame members interposed between the uprights and abutting loosely against the same, joint pins passing through the uprights and having the projecting ends thereof fitted in the abutting ends of the longitudinal frame members, cross arms mounted upon the uprights, and a supporting plane mounted, upon "the cross bars and including tension members connecting the cross bars to hold the uprights against the ends of the longitudinal frame members.

8. An aeroplane construction including a frame formed with intersecting tubular abutting loosely against the opposite frame member, and a joint pin passing through the said opposite frame member, the projecting ends of the joint pin being fitted within the abutting ends of the other frame members.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES ROONEY.

Witnesses H. S. HILL, HARRY B. Room 

